Rowing apparatus or exercisi ng -m ach i ne



(No Model.)

- W. SPELMAN.

RQWING APPARATUS 0B EXERGISING MACHINE. No. 304,142.

Patented Aug. 26, 1884.

VII

av I infill/l INVENTOR BY ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES Urrnn STATES Pn'rnsrr tries.

ILLIAM: SPELMAN, or ronrnn'nn, MAINE.

ROWING APPARATUS OR EXERClSlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 304,142., dated August 26, 1884.

Application filed May 12, 1884. (No model.)

To all 1071 0172. it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIA Srnmmn, of Portland, county of Cumberland, Maine, have invented a new and Improved Rowin Apparatus or EXereisingMachine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to furnish a rowing apparatus in which the act of rowing gives a ibrward movement to the boat or car, so that the exercise will be more agreeable than the usual fixed machine, and races may be rowed. The apparatus combines a continnous or an endless track with a boat or car on wheels and provided with oars, as hereinaftcr described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure .l. is a perspective plan View of my improved apparatus, showing a section of the track. Fig. 2 is a plan View of one of the cartrucks. Fig. 3 is a erosssection of the boat; and Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the connections or the traclesections.

The, track is to be laid for any suitable distance straight or curved, as desired, and in confined spaces is to be circular or elliptical. The track is composed of sleepers a, outer rails, Z) I, attached to the ends of the sleepers, and with inner flanged rails, c c, 011 which the car runs. For convenience of laying and removal the outer rails are in sections of convenient length, and one end of each is at tached to a flange, (Z, on a sleeper, the flange having a hole for a connecting-pin, c, that passes through. the abutting end of the next section. The inner rails, c, are morlised to fit on the sleepers, and are fastened down by clamps or other suitable devices. At suitable intervals on rails I) are pins f, projecting upward, [or being engaged by the cars, andthese pins have pointed or beveled ends to prevent the ears resting on the tops of the pins, and the pins may be fitted with rollers to lessen the friction of the ears on them.

The car or boat 0 is an oblong box mounted on a forward and a rear truck, which have each four wheels, two at each side, and flanged to retain the car on the rails c. the wheels are attached to a plate, as shown in Fig. 2, and a bolt, 1 passing through the car-bottom and plate, as in Fig. 8, allows the truck to swivel on curves. The car is fitted with Outriggers 71., to which cars 11, of round or tapering form, are attached by pins 16, that allow the free movement of the oars, and there are straps Z connect-ed from the ears to the boat to prevent too long reaches. The boat has also a sliding seat, m. The car is propelled by simulation of rowing, whereby the outer ends of the oars engage pins f, and with practice the work will become easy and natural, so that the exercise will beinteresting and considerable speed obtained.

I do not limit myself to the details of con struction specified, as they may be varied within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, in a rowing apparatus, of inner rails, c, wheeled car or boat 0, pro vided with round or tapering ears, and outer rails, 0, provided with pins for engagement by the oars, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a rowing apparatus, the continuous track provided with inner and outer parallel rails in sections constructed for attachment together, substantially as described.

3. In a rowing apparatus, the combination, with car 0, provided with ears, of swiveling trucks, substantially as described.

it. In a rowing apparatus, the wheeled boat or car 0, swiveling oars i and sliding seat m, substantially as described, combined for use as specified.

WILLIAM SPELMAN.

\Vitnesses:

D. NIEL E. Bowen, Bonn-Br A. Bnownrinr.

The axles of 

